State of Origin: Queensland end New South Wales clean sweep hopes in improved display

Ben Hunt celebrates his try for Queensland that helped them recover some pride

Queensland ended New South Wales' hopes of a first series clean sweep since 2000 with victory in an absorbing game.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow's debut try put the Maroons in front, after Latrell Mitchell had touched down for Blues.

Jack Wighton ripped through for the Blues but Ben Hunt crossed on the back of heavy pressure to restore the lead.

Hunt finished off a Kalyn Ponga break to stretch the Maroons' advantage, but Mitchell could not land his long-range goal to level after Api Koroisau's try.

After two thumpings, there were fears this could be a dead rubber but it was anything but as the sense of feeling between the two states was played out in full throttle fashion.

This was typified by the on-going spat that went between Blues playmaker Mitchell and Maroons centre Dane Gagai - both of whom are team-mates at South Sydney.

With New South Wales battling the rise of Covid cases, this third game of the series was again played north of the border in Queensland's Gold Coast; the first time Sydney failed to host a game in Origin history.

This was the type of performance from Queensland that Paul Green - in his first Origin series as head coach - has been waiting for.

Having been bullied in the past two games to lose the overall series, his side had aggression and intent in defence and showed quality in attack - triggered by the spine of double tryscorer Hunt, Cameron Munster, Daly Cherry-Evans and the livewire Ponga.

Munster put Tino Fa'asuamaleaui through a big gap to release Tabuai-Fidow for his try, while the big forwards laid a platform for Hunt to pick off tired forwards for his opening score.

Ponga showed his defensive qualities at the other end as he denied Trbojevic a try, amid a frantic late fightback by the Blues.

By contrast, New South Wales were without the creativity of Penrith duo Jerome Luai and Nathan Cleary and at times it showed as replacement halves Wighton and Mitchell Moses took time to gel.

However, Mitchell and Tommy Trbojevic were outstanding in the centres with elusive, dent-making surges and Wighton got into his running groove as the game wore on - notably with his score.

They just could not get the points required to take the game at least to golden point, and their hopes of a series clean sweep was quashed as the rain tumbled down in Robina.

New South Wales: Tedesco; To'o, Mitchell, T. Trbojevic, Addo-Carr; Wighton, Moses, Paulo, Cook, Finucane, Murray, Sims, Yeo.

Replacements: Koroisau, A. Crichton, Haas, Martin.

Queensland: Ponga; Holmes, Gagai, Tabuai-Fidow, Coates; Munster, Cherry-Evans; Welch, B. Hunt, Papalii, Capewell, Kaufusi, Fa'asuamaleaui.

Replacements: Brimson, Fotuaika, Molo, Flegler

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